"Favorite Napoleonic Battle: Austerlitz!" Topic

You were asked – TMP link

What's your favorite battle from the Napoleonic era to play or would like to play someday?

In the final tiebreaker round:

43% said "Austerlitz (1805)"
31% said "Quatre Bras"

Dang! Waterloo suffers again from the ABBA Effect!

Waterloo is lame and overhyped.

Same result as two years ago, Austerlitz beats Quatre Bras by 12 points.
TMP link

"Waterloo is lame and overhyped." Only if you are a Bonapartist…

There are much more interesting battles. Waterloo is the most played battle in the Napoleonic area. It is the most covered battle in the Napoleonic are. They are pretty objective statements. Unless you're British. But the British being there is why it's overhyped despite it's middling.

Please can we have a much longer list to vote on next time (or to rank in order….).

Waterloo is a battle deserving of study the tactics used, the intention, the treachery, the french generals promoted above there calibre etc. Refighting this battle is also more fun than most re fights allow the cause and affect of the weather, the terrain seemingly inoxuious but very complex, the slow movement and artillery affects all make it unique. Most refights miss out on these things. The more I study and the refights Ive done this last throw of the Napoleonic die is epic

The British being there makes it over hyped – only to thoise who dont read the myriad foreign publications. Did Weellington nd the British troops make a difference, yes they made the greatest difference, and rightlky there courage ius rewarded, but so is the dutch, the German, Prussian and French and reading the right books plays both sides of this famous battle and praises all. Sadly most people probably here and refighting are limited to a film and a few mentions as an after thought is a generl history. Waterloo isnt lame as Ive explained and over hyped – it ended in the defeat of the greatest General of all timer and ended an epoch and brought about decades of peace, over hyped lol some people will never see the wood for the trees because of there bias

Leipzig had the most troops, the highest number of nations involved and lasted three days.
But only one British rocket troop was there. Now I know why it didn't win.

I've always had a soft spot for Barrosa.

Please can we have a much longer list to vote on next time (or to rank in order….).

This is the final poll in a long series that indeed had a long list of possibles. This one is the final cull.
Pay attention, 007. 😄

Who on earth has actually managed to play Austerlitz as a figures game? I've done it as a computer game, but it relies on fog of war.

Ive lost count of how many times I've done Waterloo and I'm sick to death of Quatre Bras, but they both make great games due to the nature of the reinforcements arrival. Borodino by contrast is a boring slog.

So any tips on how to Austerlitz a good game, I'm all ears.

I used to do 'replays' of famous battles, but they don't do really do it for me anymore. I have discovered that the best representation(for me)of the challenges and the vagaries of Napoleonic warfare -by far- uses accurate armies, a campaign system, an umpire, and a fictional, variable, yet realistic set of circumstances-ie- it MIGHT not rain during a Waterloo campaign, Davout MIGHT not be left in Paris, etc-all depending on historical research and whatever method(s) one wishes to use to land upon a variable- dice, cards, other, etc. It isn't always practical, of course, but after doing this, the battle 'replay' has become somewhat underwhelming. That's just me.

@JMcCarroll

I don't recall there being many British troops at Austerlitz either.

@Martin Rapier, haven't played it yet, but Austerlitz is quite manageable in DBN. 2–3 players per side. Scenario rules provide for the morning fog which is fully in place up through game turn 4, and fully disperses by turn 8.

I think that is my point. I've come across lots of people who hope to play Austerlitz, but they haven't actually done it. It is on my list too, there is a decent scenario in the Bloody Big Battles Napoleonic scenario book.

Ive done Aspern Essling twice though, now that's a battle…

It's the camouflaged batteries that was big draw.
Don't think ever saw it come up in a convention game

Martin, the only thing holding me back from gaming it is not having the figures for that period ready yet. I have seen some reports of folks playing the DBN scenario.

A couple of years ago, Little Wars TV did a great one with General d'Armee:
YouTube link

marmont1814 – I agree that Waterloo is a fascinating battle and like many battles, could have gone either way, which makes it an ideal action for a wargame. It should certainly be on anyone's wargaming list to play, at some time. However, I disagree with your statement that the allied victory brought decades of peace. Who for? Just bring up a list of wars and there are countless wars and rebellions in which even the British were involved, long after 1815. And in 1853, two of the opposing forces at Waterloo, the British and the French, were at war with a previous Napoleonic ally of Britain. I also think members here are more knowledgeable and well read than you suggest.

miniMo – loved the Little Wars TV clip. I also liked that Napoleonic top that one of the players was wearing. I wonder if they are available to buy?

I have only played in one Waterloo game. I have played three Quatre Bras games. As a board game I have played Waterloo a dozen times and zero times for Quatre Bras. I have never played Austerlitz board or miniatures.

Waterloo has been overhyped in the anglophone world from the day the Duke of Wellington wrote his "didn't I do well" dispatch and anyone who disagreed, like poor Cpt Siborne was to be cashier for having the temerity to suggest otherwise.
the problem with most Waterloo re-enactments is that they are only half the battle, funnily always the same half.

Martin, if you can't play Austerlitz how do you play Waterloo, or does my point above cover that.

I've done Austerlitz in 28 mm; aside from size, the chief difficulty comes in how to require/motivate the Allies to at least start the game out with the mass attempt to turn Napoleon's right flank.